IPL history's most expensive cricketer Rishabh Pant's journey as the Lucknow Super Giant captain did not start on an ideal note. The attacking wicketkeeper-batter was out for a six-ball duck and then made a few questionable choices while defending 209, which cost LSG the match despite having it in their grip for the majority of the day. Pant's day did not get any better even after the match finished. In the post-match presentation, the LSG captain forgot the name Vipraj Nigam, one of DC's heroes of the night.
Coming in to bat at No.8 when DC were in dire straits at 113/6 in 12.3 overs, still needing 97 runs off just 45 balls, Vipraj smashed 39 off 15 balls to change the momentum in DC's favour. His partnership with Ashutosh started to turn the tables in DC's favour. In the end, Ashutosh remained on 66 off 31 in one of the best knocks of his career to take DC home with a wicket and three balls to spare.
After the match, LSG captain Pant was asked to point out where it all went wrong for his side. The keeper-batter said the partnerships between Tristian Stubbs and Ashutosh and then between Ashutosh and Vipraj were turning points. While crediting the DC batters, Pant forgot Vipraj's name and referred to him as the "one other guy".
"We got early wickets, but we knew it was a good wicket to bat on. We had to keep doing the basics right more often than not. I think they had a couple of good partnerships. One with Stubbs, with Ashutosh and one with one other guy (Vipraj Nigam.) I think he (Nigam) did a pretty good job and took the game away from us. There was enough for the bowlers, but I think we could have done the basics right. We felt the pressure, we are still settling in, but a lots of positives to take from this match," Pant said.
{{/usCountry}}"We got early wickets, but we knew it was a good wicket to bat on. We had to keep doing the basics right more often than not. I think they had a couple of good partnerships. One with Stubbs, with Ashutosh and one with one other guy (Vipraj Nigam.) I think he (Nigam) did a pretty good job and took the game away from us. There was enough for the bowlers, but I think we could have done the basics right. We felt the pressure, we are still settling in, but a lots of positives to take from this match," Pant said.
{{/usCountry}}Pant shouldn't be blamed for not being able to recall Vipraj's name. The 20-year-old youngster shot into the limelight with impressive outings in the UP T20 League that earned him a debut in all formats for Uttar Pradesh last year before being picked up by LSG at the mega auction.
Vipraj Nigam's introduction to IPL happened as a leg-spinner. He got the wicket of Aiden Markram and could have also dismissed Nicholas Pooran had a catch off his bowling was not dropped. But little did the IPL fans know that there was another aspect to Vipraj that could potentially change the course of the match. After Delhi Capitals lost four wickets in the powerplay, mentor Kevin Pietersen said not all is lost as they still have Ashutosh Sharma and Vipraj Nigam in the dugout.
Both Vipraj and Ashutosh proved Pietersen's words right. Ashutosh hit and five boundaries and as many sixes in this unbeaten knock while Vipraj blasted five fours and two sixes. Notably, Ashutosh wasn't going all guns blazing in the beginning. He was 20 off 20 at one stage. It was Vipraj who took the attack to the LSG bowlers to keep the required rate within reach.